4mth Puppy Coat Care

Question
Hi Doc,

I have a 4mth old shihtzu male. Can I ask:
(1)when can I start switching from puppy shampoo to normal nice fragrant shampoo?

(2)i brought him to groomer, but they said puppy hair cannot be cut now because if cut now, new grown hair will come out wavy & curly. Is this true? If so, when can I bring him for a cut to keep his hair short & neat? No intention to keep it long & touching floor.

Hope to hear your expert views.

Many thanks!

Answer
I love shih-tzus! A 4 mos old...I can imagine how adorable he must be! Congrats on your getting him used to being groomed so young. I can't thank you enough for all groomers out there! :)

You can use an adult shampoo even now, but make sure the label says safe for puppies. (Most of them do... they are mild enough, I would look for one that helps to condition or just follow up with a conditioner made for dogs to keep moisture in).

At around 7-9 months your pup's adult coat will start to come through the puppy coat. It will look like there is a long, fluffy, cottony wispy layer and a thicker, denser undercoat (this transition can cause severe matting very easily, so brushing will become doubly important at this stage).

I can understand the groomer's trepidation! Many times myself and groomers I work with will try to explain the difference in puppy coat and adult coat and unfortunately the owner's can't understand until the haircut is attempted and then they wonder why the coat isn't as fluffy and puppy like, with the new texture after the haircut (even just removing that top layer of puppy coat makes a difference).

While it can make a difference in the coat growth, that's only of a huge concern if you plan on growing it long (which you stated you weren't) or showing your pup! Even today I groomed a 4 mos old shih/poodle mix. I recommended taking the approx 3" long coat down to 1 1/2" so it was still fluffy but more manageable. It was a great experience for both the pup and myself!

I would ask for a longer puppy cut (you can even talk groomerspeak and ask for a 3/4" comb cut... Your groomer will love the specific request!!) to get him used to the noise and vibration of the clippers but allow that puppy coat to stay fluffy. 3/4" sounds short, but when used in the direction of the coat lay, it actually leaves the coat about 1 1/4" long.

As long as you are in the realization that the coat won't just grow back the same type of coat (normal more because of him being a puppy, not so much because of him having a haircut this young) than a good groomer should be confident in helping to get your baby used to the grooming process. The biggest goal is to make sure your shih-tzu puppy learns the grooming experience early on. ASK your groomer how he did...and be open to feedback. If the groomer mentions there is any negative association with anything, be open minded to suggestions on how to build tolerance (ie, doesn't like feet touched, so handle feet at home, give treats while rubbing toes, etc). Some puppies just jump right in well behaved, some need a little love and TLC to work over fears. Just different personalities between pups.

One last thing... when you find a groomer you like, make sure to stick with the same person if you can...ask for him/her each time and develop a rapport. We tend to "treat" our regular clients to small favors and freebies (at least I do!) when we feel like we are specially selected. A good groomer can sometimes be hard to find, so good luck!

Enjoy your shih-tzu...they are a bundle of spunk and cuteness!